Cereal bowl with separate compartment for milk and cereal

ABSTRACT

The cereal bowl comprises a bowl which is in a generally cylindrical shape and a strainer therein to keep the cereal elevated and separated from the milk resting at the bottom of the bowl. The strainer provides an individual to control when and how long the cereal is immersed in the milk so that the cereal can be kept from soggy from milk.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/630,524 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a cereal bowl and, more particularly to a cereal bowl that separately retains cereal and milk and keeps cereal from getting soggy from milk.

2. Description of Related Art

Traditional regular cereal bowls do not separate cereal from milk. Cereal is usually mixed with milk and sits in the milk until eaten. Other than the first several spoons which may be crispy; the remaining cereal usually becomes soggy caused by the milk.

Therefore, it is desirable to have a cereal bowl that has a different design to allow a user to control how much and how little the cereal is coated by milk before consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cereal bowl that keeps the cereal from getting soggy from milk in the bowl itself.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cereal bowl that allows an individual to coat the cereal with as much or as little milk as they like.

The cereal bowl according to the present invention solves the problems since the cereal and milk do not mix unless a user lowers the cereal into the milk.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a cereal bowl comprising a bowl which has a cylindrical shape and a strainer. The bowl has a round planar bottom and a circumferential side wall. It has an “L” slot on each side of the side wall and a spout in the front projecting outwards from the side wall between the two slots and an aperture on the side wall right behind the spout for the milk to flow out.

The strainer has a round planar tray with a plurality of apertures therethrough and a couple of handles. The round planar tray is designed to fit inside the bowl and is held in place by the handles which are locked inside the “L” slots at either side.

The planar tray and the lower part of the side wall, and the planar bottom of the bowl define a lower compartment wherein milk can be contained. The planar tray and the upper part of the side wall define a upper compartment wherein cereal can be contained.

By moving the handle up or down inside the slot, the strainer can be raised up or down within the bowl. An individual can use the strainer to control how long, how much, and how little the cereal is coated in the milk. So the individual can have the cereal the way they like and finish in a short period of time.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of one embodiment of a new cereal bowl in accordance with the present invention wherein the strainer is positioned at a lower position so that cereal can be coated with milk.

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of one embodiment of a new cereal bowl in accordance with the present invention wherein the strainer is positioned at a raised position so that cereal can be kept separate from milk.

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the cereal bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the strainer of the cereal bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the cereal bowl of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is disclosed a cereal bowl for keeping cereal from getting soggy from milk in accordance with the present invention which is shown in reference numeral 100. FIG. 1A and 1B illustrate an isometric view of the cereal bowl 100 and FIG. 2 illustrate an exploded isometric view of the cereal bowl 100. FIG. 3 is a top view of the strainer of the cereal bowl of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the cereal bowl of FIG. 1.

The cereal bowl 100 comprises a bowl in a generally cylindrical shape and a strainer 20 therein to keep the cereal elevated and separated from the milk resting at the bottom of the bowl. The strainer 20 provides an individual to control when and how long the cereal is immersed in the milk so that the cereal can be kept from becoming soggy from milk.

The bowl 10 has a round planar bottom 11, a circumferential side wall 12 which is perpendicularly connected to the rim of the round planar bottom 11 and extends upwards. The top rim 12 a of the side wall 12 defines the top opening 13 of the bowl 10. On either side of the side wall 12, one “L” shaped slot 14 is cut out of the side wall 12. A spout 15 that can be used to drink the milk projecting outward from the side wall 12 is located between the two slots 14. An aperture (not shown in the FIG.) cut out of the side wall in the section right behind the spout to allow the milk to flow out of the bowl 10 through the spout into an individual's mouth.

The strainer 20 has a round planar tray 21 with a plurality of apertures 22 therethrough and a pair of handles 23 on either side. The strainer 20 is held in place within the bowl 10 by two handles 23 on either side. The planar tray 21, the planar bottom 11 and the side wall 12 below the tray 21 define the lower reservoir wherein milk is contained. The planar tray 21 and the side wall 12 above the tray 21 define the upper reservoir wherein the cereal is positioned.

The handles 23 are connected to the tray 21 and extend from rim of the tray along the vertical and upward direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, each “L” slot 14 on the side wall of the bowl has two edges for the handle 23 to be placed over either the higher edge 14 u or a lower edge 14 d inside the slot 14. By moving the handles 23 down and turning them counterclockwise inside the slot 14 and placing them on the lower edge 14 d, the strainer 20 can be lowered down within the bowl 10 as shown in FIG. 1A. By moving the handles 23 up and turning them clockwise inside the slot 14 and placing them on the upper edge 14 u, the strainer 20 can be raised up within the bowl 10 as shown in FIG. 1B.

An individual can use the strainer 20 to control how long the cereal is coated (or immersed) in the milk.

In use, first, an individual will keep the strainer in the raised position. Then, add milk. The milk will fall to the bottom of the bowl through the apertures in the tray and stay in the milk reservoir. Then add cereal to the planar tray. The cereal can be kept separate from the milk and kept from becoming soggy from the milk. If the individual likes to coat the cereal with milk, he would turn the handles of the strainer counterclockwise, lower the handles and place the handles down onto the lower levels. This will allow the individual to lower the strainer and cereal into the milk. Then the individual can use a spoon to coat the cereal with as much or as little milk as he likes. Then, when the individual is finished, he turns the handles of the strainer clockwise and lifts and places the handles on the upper level edge in the slot. If the individual chooses to drink the milk when he is finished eating the cereal, he can drink the milk through the spout.

The apertures 22 in the tray 21 should be small enough that cereals such as Rice Krispies will not fall through the holes.

The diameter of the bowl's bottom 11 is 4-8 inches and the height of the bowl 10 is 1-3 inches. The preferred diameter of the bowl's bottom 11 is about six and a half inches and the preferred height of the bowl 10 is about two inches.

The bowl 10 should be in a perfect cylindrical shape. It means that the circumferential side wall 12 of the bowl is straight from bottom to the top so that the tray can move smoothly enough to be lifted and turned using just one hand. The handles 23 of the strainer are about one inch and a half wide. The width of each of the two edges 14 u and 14 d is equal to or slightly larger than the width of the handles 23.

The strainer 20 including the tray 21 and the handles 23 should be manufactured as one single unit. The strainer 20 may be manufactured as one single unit by plastic molding or other process suitable and known in the art. The bowl 10 may be also manufactured as a single unit by plastic molding or other process suitable and known in the art. The bowl 10 may be also made from other materials that are usually used to make a bowl.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A milk and cereal bowl for keeping dry cereal from getting soggy from milk comprising: a bowl in a cylindrical shape having a round planar bottom, a circumferential side wall extending from the rim of the round planar bottom along an upward and upright direction, a top opening defined by the top rim of the side wall, a pair of “L” slots disposed on the opposite sides of the side wall, a spout projecting outwardly from the side wall between the two “L” slots, and a hole located on the side wall right behind the spout; and a strainer releasably coupled to the bowl, having a round planar tray with a plurality of apertures, the round planar tray being sized and fitted within the bowl, and a couple of handles designed to be positioned inside the “L” slots on the side wall of the bowl to hold the strainer in place; wherein the round planar bottom, the round planar tray and the side wall below the tray define a lower reservoir within which milk can be placed and the round planar tray and the side wall above the tray define a upper reservoir within which cereal can be placed; wherein each slot has two edges, a higher edge being for receiving the handle of the strainer and holding the tray at a raised position to keep cereal from the milk and a lower edge being for receiving the handle of the strainer and holding the tray at a lower position to let the cereal be coated by the milk, the strainer provides an individual a control of cereal exposure to the milk by moving and placing the handle of the strainer into the higher edge or the lower edge.
 2. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, the apertures in the tray should be small enough that cereals such as Rice Krispies will not fall through the apertures.
 3. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the internal diameter of the bowl is about six and a half inches.
 4. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the height of the bowl is about two inches.
 5. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the bowl is a perfect cylindrical shape so that the tray can move smoothly enough to lift and turn using just one hand.
 6. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the tray is a perfect circle in shape and has a diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the bowl so that the tray will fit within the bowl.
 7. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the strainer including the tray with a plurality of apertures and handles can be manufactured as one single piece.
 8. The milk and cereal bowl of claim 1, wherein the handles are about an inch and a half wide. 